Floor-laying device



Filed April e. 192e 2 sheefs-sheet 1 abtozwu;

W. C. DANIEL FLOOR LAYING DEVICE Aug'. 16, 1927.

Filed April' 6. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheng nvcnkw.

I @i 4 l 1 ummm,

Patented ug. 16, 1927.

WILLIE C. DANIEL, OF LOISA, VIRGINIA.

FLOOR-LAYIN'G DEVICE.

`Application filed April 6, 1926. Serial No. 100,185.

This invention appertains to building implements and more particularly to a novel device for facilitating the laying of floors, and sheeting.

The primary object of this'invention is bodying novel clamping jawsl for engaging the floor joists, whichV jaws form the supporting means or frame for the other opere ative parts of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for urging the jaws into gripping Contact with the oorjoists .and

n for releasing the jaws from the joists, whereby the device can be readily vand quickly moved to different positions, as the vfloor is being laid. f l

vA further object of the invention is-to provide a'novel'slioe forl engaging the {iooring or sheeting to be laid and novel means for actuating the fiooriiig or sheeting,

whereby the flooringor sheeting canbe accurately laid irrespective of the warping of the boardsf .1

A still further object ofthe invention is to provide a novel floor and sheeting laying` device of the above character, which will be durable and efficient inuse, cnet-hat will be simple and easy 'to manufacture,and one wliichpan be placed upontlie mai'ketat a reasonable eostl 1 n With these and other objects in'vieW,'the

invention consists in the novelconstruction,

arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter. more vspecifically described, claimed, and' illustrated iii the accompanying drawings,nin which,

VFigure 1 is a top plan view Yof the yimproved device showing the same in use,

Figure 2"is a transverse section through the device taken on the line 2-.-2 'of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

illustrating the means of mounting thefloor vor sheeting engaging shoe in position on the frame,

- Figure 3 is a `transverse section through the device taken on the-line 3-A-3 of Figure 1 looking inthe tlii'ectionfoftlie arrows,

illustrating the operating means for the shoe,V Y

' Figure 4 is a transverse section through the device taken on the line t-i of Figure '1, looking in the. direction of the" arrows,

illustrating.4 the loperating and releasing means for the. joist-fgripping jaws,

to provide a novel floor laying device ein- Figure-5 is a side elevation of the 'improved device,

Figure 6 is a detail longitudinal sect-ion through one of the gripping jaws'or frame plates illustrating the formation thereof.

.Referring to the drawings in detail, whereinv similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates the novel flooring and sheetiiigilaying device,fwhich comprises a pair of spaced frame plates 10 and 11, which can be formed yof any desired material, such as white oak wood or the like. The frame plates 10 and 11- also constitute thev novel gripping means for anchoring the'device to the floor joists during thev laying of the flooring and constitute one ofthe import-ant features of the invention. The forwardends of the frame plates 10 and 11 have rigidly secured thereto the forwardly extending guide plates 12 and 13, and as shown these guide plates 12 and 13 are off-set laterally from the frame plates 10 and 1l fora purpose, which will be now described. The inner faces of the guide plates 12 and13 have secured thereto guides 14 vwhich extend flush with the inner faces of the frame plates 10 and 11 and the guides terminate at the forward ends of the frame plates 10 and 11. These'frame plates l() and ll-form stops for the shoe 15 which is slidably supported by the guides 14 and this shoe is preferably formed of metal, such as steell or iron. The shoe 15 is of a less width than the distance between lthe frame plates 12 and 13, so as tolallow movementof the frame plates 10 and 11 relative to one another for a .purposewhich will also be hereinafter' more fully described. Extending transversely of the guide plates 12 and 13 adjacent to the forward ends thereof is a connecting strap 16 of a substantially invertedU shape'. 'The ends of the strap 16 are connected to the guide plates 12 and 13 by means of pivots or bolts 17 which are loosely mounted, so as to allow -swinging movement of the plates thereon toward and away-from one another. The'shoel 15 is lutilized for forcing the boards into position and the forward edge thereof can lbe provided with a groove 18 for receiving the tongues of floor boards, when the implement is used for laying a floor. The forward end of the shoe is also provided with a notch 19 of a substantially semi-circular shape and 11 frame plates.

which receive therebetween the barrel 21' formed on the forward end of a link 22 and a suitable pivot pin extends through the ears 2O and the nvot barrel 21. The forward ff end of the link is turned downwardly, as can be readily' seen by referring to Figure 5 of the drawings and the rear end of the link is pivotally connected as at 23 to a swinging operating lever 24 which extends above the rlhis operating lever 241 is rockably supported on the frame plates and 11 by Jtransversely extending pivot bolts which extend loosely through the said frame plates, so as to allow movement of the plates toward and away from each other on said bolts. lit is obvious that swinging movement of tile lever 24 that the shoe 15 can be moved forwardly or rearwardly in the guides 14C depending upon the direction of movement of the lever. In order to hold the lever in an adjusted position, after a board has been forced into place, a swinging` latch bar 26 is provided. This latch bar 2G has the main portion thereof disposed parallel with the longitudinal axis of the implement, but the forward end thereof is offset as at 27 and pivotally connected by means of the bolt 28 with one of the guide plates which as shown is the plate 13. The

body portion of the latch bar 26 is provided with rack teeth 29 which are adapted to suc; cessively engage a keeper plate 30 carried by a lever 24. 1t is to be noted that the latch bar 26 extends through a suitable guide slot 31 formed in the lever and that the latch plate 30 extends transversely of the slot so as to allow the free engagement of the latch lever with the keeper plate.

As herebefore stated,l the frame plates lOand 11 also form gripping jaws for engaging the floor or roof joists and tle inner faces of said plates adjacent to the rear ends thereof are 4provided with teeth or studs 32 for engaging` the joists. The outer faces of the frame plates 10 and 11 have secured thereto pairs of wedge bars 33`and these wedge bars have their faces tapered in opposite directions as at 34-for purpose which will later appear.

4@rrr-anged in the rear of the operating lever 24 for the shoe'15 is an operating lever 35 for the frame plates or jaws and the lower end of the lever has secured thereto or formed thereon a yoke 36 for straddling the said frame plates, and this yoke is rockably mounted upon a transversely extending pivot bolt 3'? carried by the plates or jaws 10 and 11 adjacent to the inner ends thereof. rihis bolt is likewise loosely carried by the plates or jaws 10 and 11 and the bolt is' located between the wedges 34: so that upon swinging movement of the lever 35 the same will be moved into engagement with the wedge bars 33 for urging the jawstoward one another. In order to move the jaws away from one another when the lever 35 is moved to an upright position out of engagement with the wedge bars 33, a relatively heavy expansion spring 38 is coiled about the bolt 37 and the terminals of the spring engage the inner faces of the plates or jaws 10 and 11. Y

In use of the improved device, the same is laid longitudinally of a floor joist in the positi on desired with the plates 10 and 11 lying on opposite sides thereof. rlhe lever 35 is now swung rearwardly so as to engage the wedge bars-34C which will move the plates or jaws into gripping contact with the joist against movement. A floor board 'isnow placed on the joist and the shoe is moved in contact therewith by the lever 24: and upon pressure being applied to the lever 24 the shoe will force the board 'into proper position irrespective of how badly the same may be warped. The latch bar 26 will hold the board in its adjusted position, while the board is being nailed in place. After the board has been laid, the device can be quickly released from the joist and again moved to another position for permitting another board to be urged in place.

Owing to the construction of the tool, the same can be quickly clamped in place and only necessitates the employment of a single carpenter for the proper laying of a floor or roof sheeting.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is 1. A device for laying flooring and sheeting comprising a frame including a pair of spaced side plates, oif set guide pieces carried by the forward ends of the plate, guideways supported by said guide pieces extending flush with the inner faces of the side plates, a shoe slidably mounted within said guide-ways, a transversely' extending connecting bar, means rockably Vconnecting the ends of the connecting bar with the guide pieces for permitting swinging movement of the side plates toward and away from one another, means carried by the side plates for. actuating the shoe, and means mounted upon the plates for moving the same toward and away from one another into and out of gripping contact with the joist.

2. A .device for laying ooring and sheeting comprising a pair of spaced side plates, means rockably connecting the plates .together, means carried by the forward ends of the plates for sliding the boards into position, gripping means carried by the inner faces of the plates adjacent to the rear ends thereof, a pivot bolt extending transversely Stil of the plates mounted loosely therein, an operating lever, a yoke carried by the inner end of the lever straddling said plates and rockably mounted upon the bolt, oppositely beveled wedge bars secured to the outer faces of the plates above and below the pivot bolt and arranged in the path of the arms of the yoke, whereby upon swinging movement of the lever in one direction, the plates will be urged toward one another, and an expansion spring coiled about said pivot bolt engaging the inner faces of the plates for normally urging the plates away from one another.

3. A device for laying flooring and sheet-l ing comprising a pair of spaced side plates,

means rockably connecting the plates tomeans carried by the side plates for actuating the shoe, and means mounted upon the plates for moving the plates and the gripping means carried thereby toward and away from one another into and out of gripping contact with the joists.

4. A device for laying flooring and sheeting comprising a frame consisting of a pair of spaced side plates, means rockably connecting the plates together adjacent to their forward ends, grippin 7 means carried by the inner faces of the plates adjacent to the rear ends thereof, a shoe slidably supported by the forward ends of the plates for sliding the boards into position, means carried by the'side plates for actuating the shoe, and a single operating lever carried by the plates adjacent to the rear ends thereof for moving the plates and the gripping means carried thereby toward one another.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIE C. DANIEL. 

